By Angela Mertz, EGC’s VP of Integrated Media When most new ad platforms launch, marketers focus on inventory, targeting, and pricing. ChatGPT’s announcement of entering the advertising arena feels different because the bigger story isn’t where the ads appear. It’s why people are using the platform in the first place. One question a marketer might understandably ask is: “How do I buy ChatGPT ads?” The more important question is: “Why are people using ChatGPT in the first place?” For years, digital media has revolved around two primary strategies: Search captured demand. Social created demand. We built campaigns around keywords, demographics, interests and behaviors. What differentiates ChatGPT is that it captures consumers in the middle of active decision making rather than passive media consumption. The focus should not be how ChatGPT “knows” more about a consumer than Google or Meta. What’s noteworthy is how consumers voluntarily provide richer information about their needs to ChatGPT than they ever would through a search query. A New Decision-Making Environment People don’t open ChatGPT to scroll. They come to research, compare, plan, and solve problems. This realization places brands in front of consumers while decisions are actively taking shape. Think about it this way: If someone searches “running shoes” on Google, they’re looking for a product. If they’re on Meta, the platform predicts they may be interested in running based on their behavior. But suppose someone asks ChatGPT this question: “I’m training for my first marathon, and my knees have been bothering me. What shoes should I buy?” The platform now understands the context behind the question and not just the keyword. This is an example of a shift which has implications beyond advertising. Brands increasingly need to monitor how they appear in AI-generated recommendations, not just paid placements. When consumers use conversational AI to research products, compare options, and validate decisions, the information AI systems can access about a brand becomes part of the customer journey. This is where Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) enters the picture. In that sense, ChatGPT isn’t simply creating a new advertising channel, but a new environment where consumers evaluate options, validate assumptions, and make decisions. The Equation of Paid Visibility and GEO For brands, this creates a dual challenge. Paid advertising may help secure visibility within AI-powered experiences, but visibility alone isn’t enough. Brands also need to consider how they appear when AI platforms generate recommendations organically. Consumers don’t always enter ChatGPT looking for a specific brand. They often arrive seeking guidance, comparisons, or solutions. As a result, the information available about a company across websites, reviews, articles, and other trusted sources can influence whether that brand becomes part of the conversation. That’s why paid visibility and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) are increasingly complementary disciplines rather than separate strategies. Yet visibility alone doesn’t guarantee success. Increased Impact of Media Combined with Creative A successful ChatGPT ad won’t feel like a traditional ad. It should answer a question, solve a problem, or genuinely help someone make a decision. Additionally, this is where media and creative become inseparable. Media determines when your brand can appear. Creative determines whether your message actually helps the person on the other side of the conversation. I’ve written before about how Meta’s evolving targeting means creative is becoming part of audience strategy. I think ChatGPT takes that one step further. In conversational AI, your message isn’t just trying to earn attention but gaining trust as well. Conclusion ChatGPT ads may prove valuable for marketers, but the larger shift is that conversational AI is creating a new decision-making stage within the customer journey. Brands that understand that change and align their advertising, content, creative, and GEO strategies accordingly will be better positioned as consumers increasingly turn to AI for guidance.
